


Meet the Sugdens

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Flufftober [29]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe, Every woman is a lesbian at heart, Family Fluff, M/M, Meet the Family, Meeting the Parents, Robert is an idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:54:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27263062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Flufftober day 29: FamilyRobert takes Aaron home to meet his parents
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Series: Flufftober [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947490
Comments: 8
Kudos: 63





	Meet the Sugdens

“Right, so… Pat is your bio mum, right?” Aaron asked Robert.

They were on their way to his parents’ house to introduce Aaron to them for the first time. To say he was nervous was an understatement.

“Yeah. She was married to my dad… who died in a car accident when I was a baby. And then when I was around 2 I think she met Sarah.”

“Right. And then they had Vic, right? Sarah is Vic’s bio mum.”

“Yeah. And then Andy came along when we were around 10.” Robert explained for the millionth time. “But nobody is going to quiz you on our family build up, you know.”

“I know. I just don’t want to say anything stupid. I want them to like me.”

“They’ll love you.”

“You don’t know that. What if they decide I’m not good enough for their boy?” Aaron worried. “Didn’t you say they didn’t like Vic’s ex either?”

“Yeah but Luke was a prat. You’re not a prat.”

“Thanks…” Aaron mumbled. “So who is older again? You or Andy?”

Robert sighed but decided to indulge his boyfriend.

“Andy. By a few months. I actually have a few older siblings too. An older half brother and sister from my mum’s first marriage. And a full older brother called Jackie… but he’s 22 years older than me and only visits for our mum’s birthday and Christmas. As do the other two.”

Aaron gave him a horrified look.

“Why didn’t you tell me any of this before?”

“Because… I didn’t exactly grow up with any of them. I barely know them. My half-sister has a daughter that’s older than me.” Robert pointed out. “They’re technically my siblings… but I grew up with Vic and Andy.”

“Right. I think I need a cheat sheet to get through today.”

“Just relax. My mums are going to love you. Because I do.” Robert said and kissed him to emphasise his statement.

The short walk to Robert’s parental home seemed to take forever, and at the same time went by in a flash.

And if Robert had to drag Aaron along slightly the last few steps, nobody had to know.

He rang the doorbell and gave Aaron’s hand a squeeze as they waited for someone to open the door.

“Hi love!” Sarah exclaimed when she saw them on the doorstep and pulled Robert in for a hug right away. “It’s been way too long since you’ve visited.” She scolded him.

“I know, I know, I’ve just been busy. With work and stuff.”

Sarah raised an eyebrow at her son then looked past him to Aaron.

“I’m guessing you’re stuff?”

“Mum!”

“Aaron is fine actually.” He shook her hand and gave her what he hoped was a friendly smile. “Nice to meet you.”

“Oh he has a sense of humour. I like him, Robert. He’s a keeper.” Sarah said and ushered them inside. “Pat is feeding the cows but she’ll be done soon. Sit down, Aaron, make yourself at home. Robert, you know where the fridge is, get your boyfriend a drink.”

“Do you want a beer?” Robert asked but Aaron shook his head.

“Brew is fine. Or lemonade or something.”

As Robert walked into kitchen to get the drinks, Aaron looked around the living room. It was cosy with a few bookshelves and family pictures lining the walls. Suddenly he felt something by his feet and when he looked down he saw a large black and white cat, playing with his laces.

“That’s Lola.” Sarah explained. “She loves visitors. And the peace and quiet when Pat is out with the dogs.”

“You have dogs too?” Aaron asked while petting the cat.

“Of course. You can’t marry a farmer and not have a house full of animals.” Sarah laughed. “Hasn’t Robert surprised you with a puppy yet?”

“Uh no… but I wish he had. I love dogs.”

“I thought your flat didn’t allow pets?” Robert asked as he came back into the living room with the drinks.

“No, but yours does.” Aaron teased.

“Oh right, so you’ve just decided we’re getting a dog and that it should live in my flat?”

“Well if it helps, I’ll come with it.”

Robert wanted to reply but at that moment the door opened and Pat came in, followed by three dogs who immediately jumped on Robert and then went to check out the new arrival.

“See? Even the dogs missed you.” Pat said as she greeted Robert with a kiss to the cheek and a hug.

“I know mum, mum’s already lectured me about not visiting enough.”

“I didn’t lecture you, I only pointed it out.” Sarah corrected him and accepted the kiss hello from her wife.

“And you must be Aaron.” Pat said extending her hand to Aaron.

“Yes. Hi. Nice to meet you uh... Mrs Sugden.”

“Oh don’t give me that. Just call me Pat.”

“Alright… I’ll uh… try to remember that.”

After about 10 minutes Aaron was a lot more relaxed with a dog in his lap, Robert’s arm around his shoulders, and laughing with his boyfriend’s parents as they told funny and embarrassing stories from his youth.

“Sarah worked at the library and after Jack’s death there was a grief support group that would meet there. They had this area for book clubs that they used. And my mother in law couldn’t always babysit so I’d take Robert along.” Pat told them. “And Sarah saw me struggling with a little boy so she’d offer to look after him while I was in my support group meeting. She’d read him all kinds of stories, and if camera phones had existed back then, I would have taken so many pictures of the two of them together. Watching her with Robert is how I fell in love with her.”

Aaron smiled and looked at his boyfriend

“So that’s why you love reading so much.” He commented and Robert nodded.

“Yeah mum was always reading me stories when I was a kid, and she even taught me to read a little before I started school.”

“And now your house is filled with books. And you only ever reread the same five.” Pat teased. “Just like your mother.”

“Reading is good for children. I still stand by that.” Sarah defended herself.

“That’s not what I meant love, and you know it.” Pat said and they all laughed. “Anyway, that’s our story, what’s yours? How did you two meet?”

“In the park.” Robert told them. “I was out running and some idiot knocked me down. He helped me up and sat with me to make sure I wasn’t going to die on the spot.”

“And then he insisted he was fine and his ankle wasn’t broken, even though he could barely stand on it. I asked him if he was a doctor.” Aaron said, sharing a look with Robert who laughed.

“I told him ‘no I just play one on tv’. And I had him believing I was on Casualty for at least an hour.”

“I’ve never seen a single episode of that show! You could tell me your next door neighbour was on it and I’d believe you!”

“It was fun though, to feel like a famous actor for an hour. But I thought he was cute and felt bad for him, so I told him the truth.”

“No, actually he said; “Just so you know, I’m not actually an actor, or on Casualty. But I do like you and I’d like to see you again. Can I get your number?” And then just gave me this sweet and innocent smile like he hadn’t been fooling me for the past hour. ”

“Well you gave me your number and we went out for a meal that Friday. And now you’re here meeting my parents. So I guess I did something right.” Robert protested laughingly.

“Yeah I suppose I’ve kind of gotten used to you by now. Might as well keep you around.” Aaron teased and pressed a quick kiss to Robert’s lips, forgetting about their audience completely.

Pat and Sarah insisted they stayed for tea, and as the four of them sat down to eat, Aaron felt more and more at home. Especially when more stories about Robert’s youth started to come out.

“When we first told him we were together and Sarah was moving in with us, he cried.” Pat recalled.

“We thought he didn’t want me to or that he didn’t like me after all.” Sarah added. “But no, he was crying because he didn’t know which one of us to call mum.” She said and laughed.

“Aww, that’s so precious.” Aaron teased.

“I was only four!”

“We told him he could call both of us mum but he didn’t want that. And he just kept calling me Sarah. Until one day when I came home from work, a month or so after I’d moved in properly. He said he wanted to whisper something in my ear and then told me he was going to call me mama Sarah. It was so sweet. I’ll never forget it.”

Robert blushed.

“It was a difficult time for four year old me. I had to get creative!”

“You were such a sweet boy.”

“He still has his moments now.” Aaron said, trying to go for a teasing, joking tone but failed miserably when he couldn’t keep the loved up smile from his face.

It was well after nine pm when they finally said their goodbyes and Pat and Sarah made them both promise to visit again soon.

“So, what did you think? Do you want to run a mile yet?” Robert asked when they were alone again.

“Absolutely not. Your mums are amazing.”

“I’ll tell them you said that. They’ll love that.”

“Well they made you, didn’t they? So they had to be kind of amazing. Because you are.” Aaron said and kissed him. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Robert replied softly. “Do you want to come back to mine for tonight?”

Aaron considered the offer for a minute. He’d be able to sleep a little longer and ride with Robert in the morning and walk 2 minutes to get to the garage.

“Sure. I think I have a spare pair of overalls at your place anyway.”

“How would you like to have all of your overalls at my place?”

Aaron frowned.

“What?”

“How would you like it to be our place instead of just my place?”

“Are you asking me to move in with you?”

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while… and I just… really don’t want to wake up without you next to me anymore. I want you there all the time. The place feels empty when you’re not around.”

“Are you serious?”

“Deadly.” Robert promised. “And don’t feel like you have to say yes, but you’d make me very happy if you said yes.”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah you idiot, I love you, I want you to move in with me.”

“No, Robert. I mean, yeah, yes I’ll move in with you.”


End file.
